Portulaca plant named ‘DPAZ16’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Portulaca  cultivar named ‘DPAZ16’ is disclosed, characterized by large yellow flowers. The new variety has a compact, semi trailing growth habit and forms a dense plant. The new variety is a  Portulaca , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Portulaca oleracea.

Variety denomination: ‘DPAZ16’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Portulaca cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce newPortulaca varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The crossresulting in this new variety was made during September 2008.

The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referredto as Portulaca oleracea ‘PT-8-405’ The pollen parent is unknown, as thecrossing resulting in ‘DPAZ16’ was an open pollination, withunidentifiable pollen parents. The new variety was discovered in June2009 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2008crossing, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘DPAZ16’ by vegetative cuttingswas first performed at a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel in July 2009 and has shown that the unique features of thiscultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DPAZ16’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘DPAZ16’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘DPAZ16’ as a new and distinct Portulacacultivar:

-   -   1. Large flowers    -   2. Compact and dense semi trailing habit    -   3. Flowers open early in the morning

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZ16’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Portulaca oleracea ‘PT-8-405’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZ16’ have amore dense plant habit, and larger flowers. Additionally, the newcultivar has more leaves than the seed parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DPAZ16’ are comparable to the commercialvariety Portulaca ‘Summer Joy Yellow’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,256. ThesePortulaca varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics,including flower color and flower form. The new variety ‘DPAZ16’ differsin having somewhat smaller flowers, of a solid yellow, whereas ‘SummerJoy Yellow’ has a characteristic orange ring in the flower color.Additionally, ‘DPAZ16’ has larger leaves, a different angle ofattachment of the flowers and a more compact plant habit than ‘SummerJoy Yellow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘DPAZ16’ grown in a greenhouse, in a 13 cm basket. Ageof the plant photographed is approximately 85 days from a rootedcutting.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a close up of a typical bloom of‘DPAZ16’.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘DPAZ16’ plants grown in a greenhouse duringSpring in Gilroy, Calif. The growing temperature ranged from 14° C. to30° C. during the day and from 10° C. to 23° C. during the night.General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca oleracea ‘DPAZ16’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: 10 to 14 days at approximately 18-21° C.-   Root description: Fibrous, spreading and dense.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Vigorous, semi-trailing.-   Pot size of plant described: 13 cm.-   Age of the plant described: 80 days.-   Height: From soil level to top of the plant is 10 cm.-   Plant spread: About 25-30 cm.-   Growth rate: Vigor.-   Branching characteristics: Free and dense basal branching.    Approximately 6 main branches and 14 secondary branches.-   Length of primary lateral branches: Approximately 32 cm.-   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 0.5 cm.-   Quantity of primary lateral branches: Approximately 14.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Form.—Rounded, fleshy with ridges.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.5 cm.        -   Color.—At the base RHS Yellow-Green 144B with venation of            RHS Greyed-Purple 187C, top RHS Yellow-Green 144B.        -   Texture.—Succulent — smooth, glabrous.        -   Strength.—Moderate.-   Internode length: About 3.5 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 12 per branch.        -   Average length.—Approximately 3 cm.        -   Average width.—1.75 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous, smooth.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Attachment angle.—At right angle or obtuse angle to stem.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137 A. Young            foliage under side: RHS Green 137 C. Mature foliage upper            side: RHS Green 137 B. Mature foliage under side: RHS            Yellow-Green 147 C.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: RHS            Green 137B. Venation color under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green            147C. Venation color is indistinguishable from foliage.        -   Petiole.—Length: 0.25 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS            Yellow-Green 144C. Texture: Glabrous.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: From Spring to Autumn.-   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: Approximately 8 weeks.-   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Terminal, single, sessile.    Flower habit horizontal.-   Rate of flower opening: 7 to 10 days from bud to fully opened    flower.-   Flower longevity on plant: Approximately 1 day.-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-Cleaning.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Ovate with a pointed tip.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Color.—RHS Green 143C and edges color RHS Red-Purple 59B.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 4.5 cm.-   Corolla/petals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Single flower with five distinct overlapping            petals, not persistent.        -   Length.—Approximately 2.1 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Quantity.—5 Petals.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Apex.—Emarginate.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Color:    -   -   When opening.—Upper surface: RHS Yellow 9A. Lower surface:            RHS Yellow 6C.        -   Fully opened.—Upper surface: RHS Yellow 9A. Lower surface:            RHS Yellow 6B.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—2.        -   Shape.—Deltoid.        -   Length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 0.6 cm.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Upper and Lower Surface: RHS Green 143C with            venations of RHS 143A and edges color RHS Red-Purple 59B.-   Peduncle: None.-   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—About 70.        -   Filament length.—Approximately 0.6 cm.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Oval, bilobed.        -   Length.—Approximately 0.8 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow 9A.        -   Pollen.—Color: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 23A, but darker.            Quantity: Abundant.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1 per flower.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.2 cm.        -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1 cm. Color: Near RHS            Green-Yellow 1A.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Six-branched. Color: Near RHS Green-Yellow            1B. Ovary Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Fruits are egg-shaped 4-5 mm long with a conical    shape top. Seeds are glossy black with a circular shape.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    diseases or insects has been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Will not tolerate temperatures below 7° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘DPAZ16’ asherein illustrated and described.